CHAPTER IV

muchhisbusinessengrosseshimalreadyisveryplainfromthecircumstanceofhisforgettingtoinquireforthebookyourecommended.Hewasagreatdealtoofullofthemarkettothinkofanythingelse—whichisjustasitshouldbe,forathrivingman.Whathashetodowithbooks?AndIhavenodoubtthathewillthrive,andbeaveryrichmanintime—andhisbeingilliterateandcoarseneednotdisturbus.” “Iwonderhedidnotrememberthebook”—wasallHarriet’sanswer,andspokenwithadegreeofgravedispleasurewhichEmmathoughtmightbesafelylefttoitself.She,therefore,saidnomoreforsometime.Hernextbeginningwas, “Inonerespect,perhaps,Mr.Elton’smannersaresuperiortoMr.Knightley’sorMr.Weston’s.Theyhavemoregentleness.Theymightbemoresafelyheldupasapattern.Thereisanopenness,aquickness,almostabluntnessinMr.Weston,whicheverybodylikesinhim,becausethereissomuchgood-humourwithit—butthatwouldnotdotobecopied.NeitherwouldMr.Knightley’sdownright,decided,commandingsortofmanner,thoughitsuitshimverywellhisfigure,andlook,andsituationinlifeseemtoallowitbutifanyyoungmanweretosetaboutcopyinghim,hewouldnotbesufferable.Onthecontrary,IthinkayoungmanmightbeverysafelyrecommendedtotakeMr.Eltonasamodel.Mr.Eltonisgood-humoured,cheerful,obliging,andgentle.Heseemstometobegrownparticularlygentleoflate.Idonotknowwhetherhehasanydesignofingratiatinghimselfwitheitherofus,Harriet,byadditionalsoftness,butitstrikesmethathismannersaresofterthantheyusedtobe.Ifhemeansanything,itmustbetopleaseyou.DidnotItellyouwhathesaidofyoutheotherday?” ShethenrepeatedsomewarmpersonalpraisewhichshehaddrawnfromMr.Elton,andnowdidfulljusticetoandHarrietblushedandsmiled,andsaidshehadalwaysthoughtMr.Eltonveryagreeable. Mr.EltonwastheverypersonfixedonbyEmmafordrivingtheyoungfarmeroutofHarriet’shead.Shethoughtitwouldbeanexcellentmatchandonlytoopalpablydesirable,natural,andprobable,forhertohavemuchmeritinplanningit.Shefeareditwaswhateverybodyelsemustthinkofandpredict.Itwasnotlikely,however,thatanybodyshouldhaveequalledherinthedateoftheplan,asithadenteredherbrainduringtheveryfirsteveningofHarriet’scomingtoHartfield.Thelongersheconsideredit,thegreaterwashersenseofitsexpediency.Mr.Elton’ssituationwasmostsuitable,quitethegentlemanhimself,andwithoutlowconnexionsatthesametime,notofanyfamilythatcouldfairlyobjecttothedoubtfulbirthofHarriet.Hehadacomfortablehomeforher,andEmmaimaginedaverysufficientincomeforthoughthevicarageofHighburywasnotlarge,hewasknowntohavesomeindependentpropertyandshethoughtveryhighlyofhimasagood-humoured,well-meaning,respectableyoungman,withoutanydeficiencyofusefulunderstandingorknowledgeoftheworld. ShehadalreadysatisfiedherselfthathethoughtHarrietabeautifulgirl,whichshetrusted,withsuchfrequentmeetingsatHartfield,wasfoundationenoughonhissideandonHarriet’stherecouldbelittledoubtthattheideaofbeingpreferredbyhimwouldhavealltheusualweightandefficacy.Andhewasreallyaverypleasingyoungman,ayoungmanwhomanywomannotfastidiousmightlike.Hewasreckonedveryhandsomehispersonmuchadmiredingeneral,thoughnotbyher,therebeingawantofeleganceoffeaturewhichshecouldnotdispensewith:—butthegirlwhocouldbegratifiedbyaRobertMartin’sridingaboutthecountrytogetwalnutsforhermightverywellbeconqueredbyMr.Elton’sadmiration.